Medical Physicist (PET Imaging)

Kings College London

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic medical physicist to join our PET imaging team at Kings College London (KCL) & Guys and St Thomas (GSTT) PET Centre.

We run a clinical PET service in parallel with an extensive programme of clinical research. Facilities currently include 2 cyclotrons, radiochemistry labs, 3 PET-CT scanners and a PET-MR scanner.

The department has just been awarded a £13 million grant from the Medical Research Council for a Total Body PET scanner as part of a new national PET research initiative. This will be an exciting time to join our team with ample opportunity to contribute to the planning and execution of an ambitious programme developing the clinical and research capabilities of the department.

Main duties of the job

The purpose of this post is to provide scientific, regulatory and technical expertise to support the operation and development of the clinical and research PET scanning activities in the PET Centre, working as a member of a team of medical physicists.

The role is intended to enable the department to cover the maternity leave of a senior team member during the first year of the appointment and will thereafter be part of the expansion of the department in line with the Total Body PET installation. In both the first year and in the longer term, it will involve contributing to the full range of the teams activities supporting the scanning suites and two radiochemistry facilities.

The successful candidate is expected to be a state-registered Clinical Scientist with substantial experience working as a medical physicist. Certification as a Medical Physics Expert, or experience relevant to the MPE role, will be an advantage.

You should be highly motivated, able to multi-task, work well within a team, and be keen to learn. The position is in a friendly and supportive multi-disciplinary department, with plenty of opportunities to take part in interesting projects.

This post will be offered as a permanent contract.

This is a full-time post.

About us

The PET Centre is part of both King's College London's School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences (BMEIS) in the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, and Guy's & St Thomas' National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust.

Date posted

27 October 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£51,174 to £60,221 a year including London Weighting allowance

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

N0067-23-0007

Job locations

St. Thomas's Hospital

249 Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities:

  • Contribute to the routine clinical scientist activities in the PET Centre, including quality control testing and maintenance of medical devices.
  • Take part in the medical physicist duty scanning rota, providing technical support and first line troubleshooting to the PET Centre routine scanning operation.
  • Take part in the planning, acceptance and commissioning of new state-of-the-art scanners.
  • Contribute to the development of protocols and procedures for clinical and research scanning and incorporate recent advances in PET-CT and PET-MR methodology into clinical practice. Ensure that all new procedures are appropriately tested, validated, documented, and communicated to all relevant groups.
  • Contribute to clinical research methodology development, implementing and validating novel techniques, and take hands on role in the acquisition, analysis, and publication of research data.
  • Take part in data processing and handling for PET-CT and PET-MR data, including development of new data processing procedures and writing/documenting software tools and utilities.
  • Develop and advise on radiation protection procedures for the scanning suites and the cyclotron/laboratory facilities, including acting as Radiation Protection Supervisor where needed, promoting the highest level of regulatory compliance and best practice.
  • Write and review specialised protocols, working procedures, risk assessments and other documentation, including for complex research protocols.
  • Contribute to departmental and divisional teaching and training activities including delivering lectures and contributing to student examinations where appropriate.
  • Train and provide advice to junior staff.
  • Provide advice and support on matters within your expertise relating to the administration of radioactive substances and patient radiation exposure, including drafting ARSAC and Ethics committee submissions.
  • Ensure the PET Centres compliance with all relevant regulations including the Ionising Radiations Regulations and the Ionising Regulations (Medical Exposures) Regulations, Environment Agency permits, and the General Data Protection Regulations.
  • Give clear, adequate, and appropriate radiation safety advice to staff in the PET centre, researchers, members of the public etc.
  • Liaise with clinical, technical, administrative, and scientific staff and with clinical collaborators, industrial suppliers/collaborators, and representatives of regulatory bodies, communicating material of a specialist and complex nature clearly.
  • Write technical reports and scientific papers for publication.
  • Make presentations for technical meetings and scientific meetings both within the department and at scientific conferences.
  • Undertake other tasks and responsibilities appropriate to the position as necessary, including working flexible hours if required.
  • The role will require the post holder to be physically on site for most of the working time.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities:

  • Contribute to the routine clinical scientist activities in the PET Centre, including quality control testing and maintenance of medical devices.
  • Take part in the medical physicist duty scanning rota, providing technical support and first line troubleshooting to the PET Centre routine scanning operation.
  • Take part in the planning, acceptance and commissioning of new state-of-the-art scanners.
  • Contribute to the development of protocols and procedures for clinical and research scanning and incorporate recent advances in PET-CT and PET-MR methodology into clinical practice. Ensure that all new procedures are appropriately tested, validated, documented, and communicated to all relevant groups.
  • Contribute to clinical research methodology development, implementing and validating novel techniques, and take hands on role in the acquisition, analysis, and publication of research data.
  • Take part in data processing and handling for PET-CT and PET-MR data, including development of new data processing procedures and writing/documenting software tools and utilities.
  • Develop and advise on radiation protection procedures for the scanning suites and the cyclotron/laboratory facilities, including acting as Radiation Protection Supervisor where needed, promoting the highest level of regulatory compliance and best practice.
  • Write and review specialised protocols, working procedures, risk assessments and other documentation, including for complex research protocols.
  • Contribute to departmental and divisional teaching and training activities including delivering lectures and contributing to student examinations where appropriate.
  • Train and provide advice to junior staff.
  • Provide advice and support on matters within your expertise relating to the administration of radioactive substances and patient radiation exposure, including drafting ARSAC and Ethics committee submissions.
  • Ensure the PET Centres compliance with all relevant regulations including the Ionising Radiations Regulations and the Ionising Regulations (Medical Exposures) Regulations, Environment Agency permits, and the General Data Protection Regulations.
  • Give clear, adequate, and appropriate radiation safety advice to staff in the PET centre, researchers, members of the public etc.
  • Liaise with clinical, technical, administrative, and scientific staff and with clinical collaborators, industrial suppliers/collaborators, and representatives of regulatory bodies, communicating material of a specialist and complex nature clearly.
  • Write technical reports and scientific papers for publication.
  • Make presentations for technical meetings and scientific meetings both within the department and at scientific conferences.
  • Undertake other tasks and responsibilities appropriate to the position as necessary, including working flexible hours if required.
  • The role will require the post holder to be physically on site for most of the working time.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working as a medical physicist in a PET or Nuclear Medicine imaging department
  • Knowledge of nuclear medicine technology, methodology, equipment, radiation safety procedures and current legislation, clinical and research applications and basic science
  • Knowledge of best practice for radiation safety in nuclear medicine scanning and laboratory settings

Desirable

  • Experience of providing technical, scientific and regulatory support to clinical and research PET or nuclear medicine studies
  • Experience in research data analysis, computing and/or programming
  • Experience in MR imaging

Qualifications

Essential

  • MSc or other higher degree in physics or other appropriate subject
  • State-registered Clinical Scientist

Desirable

  • PhD in medical physics or related subject
  • Medical Physics Expert certification
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience working as a medical physicist in a PET or Nuclear Medicine imaging department
  • Knowledge of nuclear medicine technology, methodology, equipment, radiation safety procedures and current legislation, clinical and research applications and basic science
  • Knowledge of best practice for radiation safety in nuclear medicine scanning and laboratory settings

Desirable

  • Experience of providing technical, scientific and regulatory support to clinical and research PET or nuclear medicine studies
  • Experience in research data analysis, computing and/or programming
  • Experience in MR imaging

Qualifications

Essential

  • MSc or other higher degree in physics or other appropriate subject
  • State-registered Clinical Scientist

Desirable

  • PhD in medical physics or related subject
  • Medical Physics Expert certification

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Kings College London

Address

St. Thomas's Hospital

249 Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH


Employer's website

https://www.kcl.ac.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Kings College London

Address

St. Thomas's Hospital

249 Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH


Employer's website

https://www.kcl.ac.uk (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Sarah-May Gould

sarah-may.gould@kcl.ac.uk

Date posted

27 October 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£51,174 to £60,221 a year including London Weighting allowance

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

N0067-23-0007

Job locations

St. Thomas's Hospital

249 Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH


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